Presents For Bella
by Akiko Keeper of Sheep
Summary: Bella hates getting gifts, but after Edward leaves, mystery presents start appearing. Story includes dancing bacon, balloon animals, edible music, french-style green beans, and oinkment. Be warned. Bella/? - friendship, pre-romance.
1. LlamaFace

Presents For Bella

::::::::::

By: Akiko, Keeper of Sheep

:::

Chapter One - Llama-face

:::

The first bit of reality that crept into Bella's mind when her screams faded into quiet sobs was the purple llama staring her in the face.

She jerked up into a sitting position with a strangled gasp.

Floating innocuously above her nightstand, swaying gently on the end of it's ribbon, was a balloon animal. Bella peered at it, her mind trying desperately to fit this bizarre fact into the world as she knew it.

Fingers trembling, the confused girl reached out and poked the llama. It bobbled a bit, its swaying growing more pronounced. It's eyes, drawn on in black Sharpie, looked back at her as if to ask 'Why? Why would you do that? It wasn't very nice.'

No. She was _not_ going to feel a sense of kinship with a llama-balloon. Even if it's inky grin made her feel included.

Struggling to organize her thoughts, Bella forced herself towards the more important question: how had this balloon ended up in her bedroom?

She glanced at the door first, pretending she didn't want to look elsewhere. Charlie had probably brought it in while she was sleeping. It was the most logical explanation, after all. Who else could it have been?

Her eyes slid automatically to her bedroom window. Even as she told herself that she was being stupid, her heart leaped in her chest and her breathing sped up.

_He's back, he wants me, he's here, he wants me, he wants me, he wants me…_

As soon as she thought this, she crushed the tiny flame of hope viciously. It was foolish and stupid to think he was coming back. If he had ever wanted her, he wouldn't have been able to leave her like that.

Besides, Bella reminded herself, balloon animals weren't in Edward's repertoire. He was more of a new car/designer jewelry/private island gift-giver. He would never stoop to giving someone he loved such a cheap, inane gift.

Moving her eyes away from the window, still tightly closed, Bella regarded the grinning thing once more.

A large part of her wanted to take her scissors and pop it, just on principle. Irrational anger rose within her. How dare this stupid, useless thing smile when she was so miserable? How dare someone shove this frivolous joy in her face? Wasn't she hurting enough?

As the llama bobbed back and forth, it almost looked to Bella like it was nodding at her. The stupid grin suddenly looked like an understanding smile. Bella swallowed hard, reaching out to poke the purple creature again.

Nod nod nod. Yes, Bella, you're in pain. Yes, Bella, it's okay. I'll just float here over your head and watch over you patiently. Nod nod nod. I'll be here, waiting, when you're ready to smile back.

As if by magic, Bella suddenly noticed the little white envelope leaning against her lamp, just where the mystery gift-giver had tied the ribbon to anchor her present. Her name was etched on the front in beautiful calligraphy. Despite herself, another little bit of pain and anxiety floated away, bobbing into the distance like another balloon.

The writing wasn't Edward's.

She didn't recognize it at all, but now she knew. She knew Edward hadn't come back. He was keeping his promise, for once. She could look at the stupid llama without wondering, wondering…

Picking up the envelope, she ran her finger over the letters of her name.

'_Isabella Swan'_

Bella pressed her lips together. Whoever it was obviously didn't know how much she disliked being called Isabella. On the other hand, just 'Bella' wouldn't have fit the elegant hand it was written in.

Untucking the little flap, Bella pulled out a plain white piece of cardstock. She blinked.

Flipping it over, she blinked again.

Turning it back to stare at the message, Bella huffed a sigh that would have ended in a sob if she hadn't been darkly amused, just the tiniest bit.

'_Smile.'_

Bella looked from the card to the llama.

Nod nod nod. Don't worry, it seemed to say, I can wait.

Deciding that she, too, could wait, Bella placed the card back on her nightstand and curled up on her side, watching her little llama bodyguard drift back and forth as she let sleep claim her once again.

:::

Amber eyes locked on the little white card. He wasn't in a hurry, either. He knew she would smile again, and he would be there to see it happen.

After all, he had all the time in the world.

:::

Author's Note -

Chapter One of my very first Twilight fic is done! I know it's short - future chapters will be longer. I'll leave it up to you to decide if that's a promise or a threat…

This isn't actually a romance…more of a pre-romance. It's going to be AU through most of New Moon. Yes, Jacob will be in it, and yes, he will be doing his part to help Bella. No, this is not a Team Jacob fic. It's not even Team Edward. This begs the question: who in the whole world of Twilight would think a purple balloon llama was an appropriate gift for an emotionally damaged girl?

The right guess gets a Virtual!Cookie.

And what will the next gift be?

The right guess gets a Virtual!Brownie.

=) So place your bets, 'cuz I'm loaded down with Virtual!Goodies!

Review, review, review!

Akiko


	2. A Painful Snack

Presents For Bella

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By: Akiko, Keeper of Sheep

:::

Chapter Two - A Painful Snack

:::

In the following weeks, Bella had developed a habit.

She wasn't sure if it could strictly be called an addiction, but it was a definite habit. Every night, she would sit on the edge of her bed and poke the purple llama. She was aware that it wasn't really normal to stare at a bobbing llama for an hour, but something about the repetitive motion was soothing. Bella wondered if that was what made hypnosis so successful.

She had avoided looking at the card again. It had begun stirring a bit of unwanted guilt inside. She wanted to smile, she really did. She just didn't seem to remember how.

It had surprised her, actually, when she'd woken up the morning after she'd found the balloon in her room. The stark contrast of the black letters against blank white paper had been the first thing she'd seen, and the word had echoed in her head like a command from God himself.

'_Smile. Smile. Smile. Smile. Smile.'_

And for the first time since Edward had left her in the woods, Bella felt. She wasn't sure what it was at first, but she knew it wasn't the usual emptiness or the crushing agony she was used to. It was a sharp, stabbing feeling, but not pain, and it made her catch her breath every time she felt it.

Joy? Anger? Hope?

It had taken a few days to identify the feeling as longing. Not for Edward, or anyone or anything in particular. She just _wanted_. She wanted what the mystery gift-giver wanted. She wanted to smile.

She wanted to be able to smile.

Perched on top of her comforter, Bella tapped the llama with her finger and watched it sway. She'd notice yesterday that her new friend was looking decidedly saggy. She could still imagine the little voice repeating its promise.

Nod nod nod. I'll be here when you're ready. Nod nod nod. Smile when you can, I'll be here.

But if she waited too long, her little llama friend would be just a wrinkly piece of knotted rubber again, her smile smudged and faded. And Bella knew, in her heart, that it was ridiculous to feel a sense of loss and grief over this. It was a balloon, not a pet, even if she had decided a week ago to name it Stella.

Bella and Stella. It could almost be the name of a zany sitcom.

She could feel the urge to smile at that thought, but her lips didn't so much as twitch. Heaving a resigned sigh, Bella tapped Stella again, snuggled under her covers, and drifted off.

:::

It was still dark when she awoke again. Silence filled the room, so obvious it made Bella's ears tingle. Something was missing, something was wrong.

Bella looked at Stella, still nodding back and forth overhead. The patient smile had taken on a decidedly proud appearance.

Inhaling deeply, Bella felt the tightness in her chest recede. She swallowed, and that was when she noticed the lack of aching in her throat.

She hadn't screamed.

Frowning, Bella tried to remember if the dreams had woken her up. Something had to have done it. She still felt the pain, the emptiness. But for the first time, she felt like she could own it. She could push it back, and suddenly, the rest of the world rushed in.

She smelled fabric softener and the polished wood of her bed frame. The covers were soft and warm. Moonlight filtered in through her window, tinging everything silver.

She was awake.

She was alive.

Unbidden and without hesitation, a relieved smile stretched across Bella's face. She felt her breathing ease and tears prick her eyes.

No, no crying. Not now, not tonight, not when everything was new again.

It was as though she had been going through life with a hood over her face, muffling sounds and smells and sights, and now that it was gone, she was _real_ again. Automatically, Bella reached out and nudged Stella.

Nod nod nod. I knew you could do it. Nod nod nod. I'm so proud of you, Isabella Swan.

Smiling wider, Bella let herself drift off to sleep once more.

:::

Bella stared.

And stared some more.

Really, she didn't know what to think. On the one hand, it was a horrible reminder of the fact that she had spent the last month dying inside. On the other hand…

Holding the bumper sticker at arms' length, Bella looked askance at Stella, who was now drifting just above the nightstand, looking droopy.

"What do you think, Stella?"

Nod. Nod.

Bella nodded back, accepting the nodding as Stella's answer.

Because on the other hand, it was funny.

Bella smiled. Honestly, she was thrilled just to be able to smile. The fact that she was capable of being thrilled about smiling was just phenomenal.

She stood up, patting Stella on the head and slipping on her sneakers. As she trudged downstairs, she heard Charlie mute the television (only in the world of American sports could anyone talk about Dolphins pummeling Giants with a straight face).

"Bells? That you?"

Bella wondered for a moment just how bad things had been for Charlie's voice to sound so helplessly hopeful.

"Yeah," she responded, sticking her head in the doorway and managing a small smile. In moments, Charlie was wrapping her in his arms in an unusual display of emotion.

Yep. It had been bad.

Clearing his throat and letting her go, Charlie rubbed the back of his neck. "It's good to see you…ah…up."

And not spiraling into a black hole of despair, was the undeniable ending to that statement.

Bella held up her present. "I wanted to stick this on the truck."

Taking the bumper sticker from his daughter, Charlie frowned at the unruly script.

"'I haven't had this much fun since the last time I ate a light bulb.' That's…" Charlie glanced at Bella, who shrugged. "That's nice, Bells."

"It seemed appropriate," she murmured in response, fairly certain that compared to the last month, munching on glass and filaments would be a riot. Her father didn't seem able to think of an argument for that - he knew it was true.

He followed her to the kitchen as she dug around in a drawer for a rag. "Listen, Bells, I was gonna invite Billy and Jake over for dinner, but if you want, we can go get something to eat. Just us."

Biting her lip, Bella wet the rag and squeezed out the excess water. "If you want to spend time with Billy and Jake, that's fine."

Charlie heaved a sigh. "I'd rather take you out, Bells. We could go to the diner, like we used to."

_Before Edward abandoned me and left me for dead in the woods_, Bella thought with sudden viciousness. For the first time, she was starting to understand just how much damage Edward had done. It had been one thing when it was just her the man had hurt; it was entirely another for her to see just how Edward's leaving had hurt Charlie through her.

_No more_, she thought resolutely. _I won't let anyone else hurt because I was dumb enough to trust a vampire._

"The diner sounds great."

:::

Three days later, Bella was heartbroken.

Stella lay prone on her nightstand, limbs flaccid and wrinkled. Her patient, sweet face was laying flat on top of the card she'd come with.

Bella's friend was dying.

She knew it was stupid, but she was sad for Stella. Sad for herself. She'd gotten used to her weird, probably insane silent conversations with the balloon animal. And even though it wasn't rational, Bella couldn't shake the feeling the Stella was more than just an inanimate balloon.

Stella had been her friend.

When everyone else was too afraid or frustrated to deal with her, Stella had been there, hovering over Bella like a purple guardian angel, smiling that patient grin and making Bella feel like someone cared.

Making Bella feel.

After she'd had dinner with Charlie (and half of Forks that had Just Happened to be stopping by and ended up trying to horn in on her father-daughter time), Bella had returned home to see Stella propped up against her bedside lamp, no longer strong enough to fly. The sense of loss had steamrolled over her before she reminded herself that Stella wasn't really alive, and therefore couldn't die.

To distract herself, she'd picked up the new white envelope that had accompanied her bumper sticker. Her name was printed across the front in the same ye olde scripte. Opening it slowly, she took out the card.

'_Laugh.'_

Her first thought had been that the request was impossible. Then she remembered that the last one had seemed impossible, as well. She'd accomplished that, and she'd be able to do this.

Eventually.

Now, three days later, she was back to thinking it was impossible. How could she smile and laugh and be happy without Stella?

"Bells, Jake and Billy are here!"

Bella stared at her closed door. Her father sounded cheerful, as though he and Billy had been talking about something fun. Or maybe it was the fact that his only child wasn't such a zombie anymore. Whatever it was, Bella liked that sound.

Stella looked up at her with one eye.

It's okay, Bella, she seemed to say, her imaginary voice so much quieter. Weaker.

_It's not okay,_ Bella thought. _You were the only one who never expected me to bounce right back. You were the only one who smiled at me, even when I didn't smile back at you. You're my friend._

Yes, Bella, Stella's imaginary voice replied, but I'm not your only friend. You have to smile for them now.

As the little voice faded into nothing, Stella suddenly looked like a limp bit of rubber with a silly face drawn on. Bella swallowed a sob.

"Bella? You in here?"

Rubbing her eyes and clearing her throat, she went to open the door for Jacob. "I'm here. Sorry, I was in the middle of something."

Opening the door, she smiled tentatively at Jacob, who gave a startled grin back. "It's okay, I was just worried."

Of course he was - friends worried about each other.

:::

Bella gazed down at the deflated llama balloon. Placing Stella gently in the shoebox she's confiscated from the hall closet, Bella said a quick, silent goodbye and put the lid on top. With some resignation, she slid the box into place on the shelf in her own closet and closed the door.

It was time to move on.

:::

A small, almost disbelieving smile graced his features. Of course she'd mourn a balloon animal. It was so very Bella, it made the tiny bit of hope he'd felt at her first, startling smile swell. He wasn't sure what his plan was, or even if he had a plan, but he knew it would work. He would help Bella heal, and she would live again.

He _knew_ it.

:::

Author's Note -

I'm not ashamed to say that I got a little choked up during Stella's death scene…=( I loved that llama.

Ah, well…that's the way the balloon deflates.

So, I've gotten another chapter in! Go me! Hopefully there will be another one on the way sometime this week.

I may be starting work soon (fingers crossed, people!), so updates for this, Instant Karma!, and my collaborative Power Rangers fic might become even farther apart. I'm trying to work out a schedule in which I make time for writing, tho, so don't despair!

A moment of silence for the wonderful Stella Swan…

Review, please! It's what Stella would have wanted!

=)

Akiko


	3. Mmm, Bacon

**Presents For Bella**

**::::::::::**

**By: Akiko, Keeper of Sheep**

**:::**

**Chapter Three - Mmm, Bacon…**

**:::**

**The day after Stella's impromptu 'burial,' Bella made breakfast for herself and Charlie and contemplated the day ahead of her.**

**She had agreed the night before to accompany Jacob to La Push beach. It hadn't been her intention - she didn't really want to go out anywhere, but she especially didn't want to go where her classmates could crowd her and bombard her with questions they had no business asking.**

**Unfortunately, Charlie and Billy had emotionally ambushed her, looking so hopeful and giddy that Bella couldn't find it in herself to let them down.**

**Sometimes she hated Stella for making her feel things again.**

**Still, she had to admit, there were worse ways to spend a Saturday.**

**At the dentist, scrubbing toilets, being eaten by vampires…**

**Drawing in a shuddering breath, Bella returned her attention to the bacon.**

_**Yes, Bella, pay attention to the bacon. Yum. Fry the bacon with determination, Bella.**_

_**Determined bacon. Huh.**_

**She should probably be worried about her breakfast-meat contemplation, but realistically, Bella knew that so long as she was thinking about bacon, she wasn't thinking about…not-bacon. And today, not-bacon thoughts were a no-go. If she was going to face the Forks High School student body and come out of the ordeal no more scathed than she was starting out, not-bacon thoughts would have to remain off-limits.**

_**This is going to seriously hamper my conversational skills.**_

**As her thoughts continued to drift about in a haze of pointlessness, Bella loaded up a plate for Charlie, then scooped the remaining servings onto her own plate.**

**Today was going to be just fine.**

**Smiling at Charlie in a hopefully cheerful manner, Bella tucked in to her meal.**

**Just. Fine.**

**:::**

"**Don't feel bad, Bella," Jessica was saying in the kind of voice disenchanted guidance councilors use to tell teenagers they 'understand how heinous high school is, but sticking with it is bodacious.' Bella smiled and nodded.**

"**Why shouldn't she feel bad," Eric asked in a scathing voice. "Edward totally dissed her. **_**You**_** should know how that feels," he added maliciously.**

**Hearing Edward's name had hurt for the first hour or so, but after a while, it just started to grate on Bella's nerves. She knew Forks was small, but damn it all, wasn't there **_**anything**_** else going on in these people's lives? She was starting to get sick of thinking of bacon, which wasn't something she had ever considered. Granted, she didn't actually **_**eat**_** bacon, but still - who got tired of thinking of bacon?**

**Jacob was trying to pry his way through the cluster of carrion birds in cargo pants surrounding her. He looked torn between amused and chagrined. Bella tried to smile at him - it wasn't his fault the majority of her classmates were nosy s.o.b.'s.**

**S.o.b….Sausage or bacon?**

**As Jacob effectively intimidated the crowd into dispersing with alacrity (i.e. - he flexed his newly bulging biceps and glowered with all the 'you-bastards-stole-my-people's-land-and-pride-and-if-you're-not-careful-I'll-scalp-your-asses' he could muster), Bella focused on the dancing bacon strip she'd invented to keep her mind off of things that weren't dancing bacon.**

_**It's peanut butter jelly time! Peanut butter jelly time!**_

"**Sorry about them, Bells," Jacob was saying. "I didn't realize they'd be so pushy."**

"**Yeah, well, conversation topics are lacking in this town," she allowed graciously, her lips twitching as DJ Ba-Kon jammed in her head (and, no, she wasn't going to start down the road of pbj puns). "They have a choice between Edward leaving and Mr. Benson's dog having puppies."**

"**I'd rather talk about the puppies," Jake muttered. "At least you can count on them to stick around."**

**All thoughts of bacon were gone, but Bella didn't mind. For the first time since the Cullens had abandoned her, the thought of Edward's face didn't cause her horrible, debilitating pain. This was, of course, because the rest of his body was hidden by a giant dog costume, and he was bouncing around licking Carlisle on the face and gnawing on a deer-shaped chew toy.**

**Jacob was shocked nearly out of his skin when he realized that the shaking of her shoulders was due to the fact that she was laughing hysterically. The giggles forced their way out of her violently, screaming laughter that sent gulls scattering and caught the attention of her classmates.**

"**I think Bella's lost it," Jessica was muttering from a few feet away, causing the object of her observations to double over as her laughter became so strong it was silent.**

**Hot tears were streaming down Bella's face as she struggled to breathe. When she could no longer support herself, she collapsed onto her butt on the sand, twitching and quivering as though she was in the midst of a seizure. Jake stood beside her awkwardly, like he wasn't sure whether or not to run for help.**

_**They're coming to take me away, ha ha!**_

**This, of course, only made the laughter worse, until Bella was left, spent and almost hollow-feeling, lying limp on the sand as she gasped for breath. Clouds floated lazily overhead, and Bella was glad none of them looked like puppies, because her ribs were threatening to revolt. Jake, much less uncomfortable now that her bout of obvious insanity had passed, sat beside her on the sand.**

"**Okay, so it wasn't really the kind of laughter I'd like to hear," he said honestly, "but at least you were laughing."**

**He was smiling at her proudly, and Bella smiled back.**

_**Easier every time**_**.**

"**So," Jake continued nonchalantly, "as long as you're open to humor, did you hear the one about the pirate with the steering wheel in his pants?"**

**:::**

**When she got home that evening, Charlie was standing in front of the stove, peering at a book propped up perilously close to the burner. Bella sighed.**

"**Dad, I've just started living again; do you think you could try not to blow us up?"**

"**Hey, now," Charlie mock-growled, brandishing a whisk at her, "I got along just fine before you came along with your fancy meals and all."**

"**Thank God for take-out, huh?"**

**Grumbling something that sounded suspiciously like 'smart-ass,' the police chief turned his attention back to the cookbook. Bella leaned against the counter, crossing her arms and tapping one finger against her elbow contemplatively.**

"**Have a good time at La Push?"**

_**I was physically stampeded, emotionally ambushed, and mentally unbalanced.**_

"**Yep. A great time."**

**More silence, and Bella was once again reminded of how very alike she and Charlie were.**

"**Hey, Dad," she piped up, suddenly inspired, "did you know they found a cure for swine flu?"**

**Charlie head swiveled and his eyes regarded her warily.**

_**Poker face, Bella. Puh-puh-poker face.**_

"**No," he said cautiously, reaching for the milk. "They didn't mention anything on the news."**

"**Yep. And all the experts say that even though it's simple, it really works."**

_**Here comes the wind-up…**_

"**What's that?"**

**Grinning widely, Bella shrugged. "Oink-ment."**

**Charlie groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.**

_**Just like Edward used to…**_

_**Bacon! Puppies! Bacon made of puppies!**_

_**Wait…**_

**Charlie was looking at her now, and she smiled innocently at him. "Blame Jake."**

"**I usually do," Charlie sighed, "I usually do."**

**:::**

**Bella poked the box with a frown on her face.**

**It had been sitting on her bed when she'd come home from school, staring up at her blankly, looking for all the world like the sort of box that department stores put clothing in.**

**Sitting cross-legged in front of it, Bella pondered the gift-giver. She could think of only a few people who would give her clothes, and the first on her list was Alice.**

_**Don't be stupid. Alice gives clothes in garment bags and Prada boxes, not fifty-cent cardboard boxes from JC Penney.**_

**Carefully, as though it might explode, Bella eased the lid off and nudged the tissue paper out of the way.**

_**Wow. That's…purple.**_

**She was starting to wonder if maybe her gift-giver had a purple obsession.**

**Bella lifted the t-shirt from the box, feeling the knot of tension in her stomach ease. Alice would never, **_**ever**_** give someone a regular t-shirt, especially one so obnoxiously purple.**

**As she turned it around, she noticed two things. One - there was an envelope taped to the front. Two - there was writing on the shirt. Peeling away the envelope, Bella read the silvery print out loud.**

"'**The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.' Paul Valery."**

_**Considering my dreams, that sounds more like a threat than a helpful life tip.**_

**She folded the shirt over one arm, resolving to wait on her opinion of the matter until she saw the card.**

'_**Dream.'**_

**Pursing her lips, Bella tossed the card on top of the other two on her night stand. 'Dream?' What kind of advice was that, especially when all she wanted was to be able to stop dreaming? Did this person have it in for her? First a dead inanimate best friend, then a near-death-by-giggle-experience, now this?**

**Yes, the gift-giver definitely hated Bella. Maybe Lauren Malloy was the culprit.**

**Disgusted with her train of thought and frustrated with the whole mess, Bella balled up the shirt and heaved it towards her closet where it landed in a heap.**

_**Stupid presents.**_

**Bella stomped out of her room to start dinner, determined to push the cards and the presents out of her mind.**

**:::**

**The man reclined on his perch in the tree. He'd been as alarmed by her hysterics the previous day as everyone else, but because she'd completed her second 'task,' he felt it was time to move on.**

**He had known this one would be tough for her - mostly because in keeping with the cryptic, one-word messages, he hadn't been able to specify just what he'd meant by 'dream.' Still, he had faith in her. She was smart, and with the monumentally retarded distraction that was Bitchward out of the picture, she might actually be able to focus on something other than her own lack of worth. Which, he amended mentally, was a load of bullshit. Bella was worth one hundred Bitchwards.**

**Now he just needed her to see that.**

**:::**

**Author's Note -**

**A few friends have assumed that they know who the mystery man is, and that's fine. Not necessarily correct, but fine.**

**To the four kind reviewers who have left their thoughts on this drivel, I say thank-you, and dole out the Virtual!Peeps. =) Y'all made my day, honest.**

**I will be starting a new job soon, so updates will be cut back. I'll try my damndest to get chapter four out before then, tho, so you have that to look forward to.**

**Please review! I have no problem stooping to bribery! *holds up pair of Jimmy Carr's undies* These go to the one who reviews chapter three first!**

**Peace.**

**Akiko**


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